3rd Evil Eye kit

Yes, I’m addicted - or, if you prefer, on a roll. I bought these as a bundle of three kits on Etsy. There were 5 designs to choose from, the three I chose were the default. I have since ordered the other two, but they are coming from the UK and seem to be printed on demand, so this will be the last for at least a few weeks. 

I was wary of this one because of the number of close lines in stem stitch, but got into the swing with the central circle in black satin stitch. As before, I worked this in a revolving arch, continuing until all areas were covered. This creates a raised texture, more effective, I think, than side to side satin stitch.

As with the last one, I used Madeira metallic rather than the metallic supplied.

I began the blue rays with 2 rather than 3 strands of cotton. The lines are very close together and two worked well. After a few rows, however, I switched to split stitch. This gave me greater control over the line and a straighter look.

I love the way this works, intensifying the colour as the density of stitches get closer together. A design technique I would not have thought of for myself

Stem stitch is better on the border, where you want a solid block rather than a fine line. The additional black border makes it pop.

I had a bit of trouble with the beads.  The bead border on one side was slightly wider at one end although the photo of the finished work showed only 2 beads all the way. The gap at some places required 3 beads to fill the space. I filled the space rather than following the picture, using up all the beads provided, but it looked uneven.

I went ahead with the next section, but when that was done, raided the earlier kits for spare beads and brought all rows on that side to 3 beads. Much better.

Finally, the outer ring.

This time I found a piece of Japanese fabric in colours that worked for the backing, pinned and stitched it tight.

I was unsure of this one when it arrived, but I really like the finished product.

The three hang well together. The Guild Exhibition is coming up and I plan to join these three together and display them.

Snowflake Ornament: legacy of a fanatical finisher.

The November meeting of the Embroiderers' Guild Ethnic Embroidery Study Group was a chance for each of us to bring in a beading project to work on or try out. We had been studying beaded works all year and set this meeting aside to have a go. I had planned to take in a kit to constructed beaded spiders as Christmas ornaments - spiders apparently  have an association with Christmas in the Ukraine where legend has it, spiders decorated the tree of a poor widow for Christmas. Unfortunately, I put the kit in a safe place several months ago so it would be ready for this meeting. Hunt as I might for the safe place, it eluded me. 

The best I could do at the last minute was a felt snowflake, left from my Wizard of Oz ornaments four years ago. It is printed on felt and decorated with sequins and beads. It can hardly be described as ethnic, but does have quite a cultural connotation.

At the meeting, one member had researched and reported on various Christmas ornament traditions (including the spiders!), others had brought along family ornament treasures from a range of traditions and our convenor brought along patterns, beads, threads and felt. We shared and discussed - and did a little experimenting. I put a few stitches into my snowflake.

When I returned home, the sensible thing would have been to put the snowflake away and get on with my project of the moment, but of course, my fanatical finishing instincts kicked in. I found myself with sequins and beads, stitching away, on a mission to finish an ornament for which I had no particular need or desire.









Here's the finished item, now hanging from a Yukka where it adds to the festive spirit on my balcony. Ethnicity - Metro Goldwin Mayer!

It's been a great year with the Ethnic Embroidery Study Group. We celebrated with a shared lunch at our convenor's home last week. It is deeply satisfying to belong to a group with such a shared passion - and so much knowledge. I'm really grateful.

Ethnic Embroidery Study Group

One of my favourite Embroiderers' Guild groups is the monthly Ethnic Embroidery Study Group . 

Its purpose is to gain a greater understanding of embroidery through the study of traditional textiles from around the world. The different techniques and materials used, the significance of traditional designs, the place of embroidery both domestically and ceremonially in the lives of people of other cultures are all explored by the study of embroideries from the Guild's Museum and other public and private collections and through research and the sharing of knowledge.

We have great expertise in this area in our Guild. A number of members have travelled, lived, worked and collected textiles amongst a range of ethnic groups - particularly throughout Asia.

The group's theme for this year is beading, so each month we have looked at different uses of beading in the work of a range of ethnic groups. This month we invited talented , long-standing Guild member Sheana Davies, to talk to us and to show us some beading techniques.

We looked at a lot of samples of beading work, from the Guild's Museum and from Sheana's own collection, and browsed some books and magazines with stunning examples of ethnic beading.

For me, the most interesting piece was this beaded cardigan. The original colour in the beads has faded with time, but the effect is still lovely - because the thread used was matched to the colour of the beads and still preserves the colour.  Tip from Sheana - always match thread to the bead you are using!

I have little experience with beading, but would not have thought to do this.

As usual, we had a lively and interesting meeting as we shared, asked questions, and some tried their hand at it. It is great to be part of a group focused on learning and sharing around our common interest.

It inspired me to get out my stash of broken jewellery and make a relatively simple restringing repair to a strand of this necklace, of Indigenous Australian origin, so I am now wearing it again!

Beaded Balthasar

Last year I managed Melchior, the first of three Mill Hill kits of the Magi in time for Christmas. I am pleased to say I have added Balthasar in time for this Christmas. Casper just might have to wait another year!


For this one, I worked a few of the beads, then did most of the un-beaded cross-stitch, partly because I did it while away with our eldest two grandchildren for a few days last week, and I am concerned about spilling the beads while working in a motel.

Once again, I found this work very hard on my wrist, and did most of the work with my wrist-brace on.


The trick with this work, as for most cross-stitch, is to get the sense of the pattern and follow that, checking back with the chart, rather than having to follow the chart for every stitch. Even so, I found this took me quite a lot of hours to complete.

I backed him in purple felt.

Our Christmas Tree this year is a plum tree growing in a pot.  It looks really splendid. Our grandchildren also decorated the frangipani, cherry and bay trees growing outside the window, so we have a Christmas Environment!


Balthasar has joined Melchior inside on the Plum Christmas Tree.

I am hoping to make at least one more post before Christmas Day - and a host of posts after, of the Christmas presents I have been stitching, but can't make public!

This is Happy Christmas Number One.

Beaded Magi: Melchior

I bought three Mill Hill beading kits - the three Magi - to try out for Christmas. I haven't used paper before as a basis for stitching or beading and wanted to try it out.

With Christmas fast approaching I decided to have a go with Melchior - the one who happened to be on the top of the pile!

These kits have a lot going for them. Once you have the thread sorted and labelled and the beads likewise, the project fits easily into a bag and away you go.

The downside is the need to hold them in one hand - not at all good for my left hand thumb joint, and the reason I try to use sitting or lap frames.

The colours are great and the beads add depth, dimension and lustre.

I sat outside stitching this for the best part of a day using the natural light.


I had to use my wrist brace for most of this work.

The Magi's gift is stitched separately on the canvas and then attached to his hand.


Never having used this perforated paper before, I was very careful about cutting out.

I decided to back the ornament with some of the hand-made felt I had left from an earlier project. The gold colour made it quite a good match and gives a bit of strength to the ornament. The paper by now was rather soft and felt a bit weak at the point of the hand.

My granddaughter said he is 'cool' - so I mark that up as a success!

I am not sure that his two companions will be done in time to join him on our Christmas tree this year, but I guess Magi are used to waiting.

Penguin Bling

I have a friend who likes penguins. She and another friend from university days visit Adelaide for a few days each year. Earlier this year a kit of penguin Christmas tree ornaments caught my eye in one of Herrshner's weekly sales so I bought it and worked on it in between other projects.

I rather like these felt ornament kits - pretty simple to do, take shape in front of your eyes - and exceedingly blingy.



They are all absurd - carrying candy canes, wearing top hats, scarves and bow-ties - and hurling snowballs.

The connection of penguins to Christmas? Snow, I guess. Given that penguins are Southern hemisphere animals and snow is a Northern hemisphere phenomenon in December just adds to the absurdity - in for a penny, in for a pound of absurdity I say.

My only complaint about this kit is that it comes with a reel of nylon thread, assuming that all the stitching, not just the beading and sequins, will be done with it. I persevered with the nylon thread for several penguins before digging out some stranded cottons and using it for the remainder - much easier on the eyes, and much less slippery in the needle.

My friends were in Adelaide last weekend - and  Pat was very pleased with her penguins. I reckon anything that makes us smile as these do is well worth making.

Stitch magazine Tribal Cloth Panel

My daughter gave me a subscription to Stitch, the magazine of the UK Embroiderers' Guild, for Christmas. Issue 75 of has some terrific projects that I couldn't wait to make. The first of these was a small sampler piece on black felt, called 'Tribal Cloth'.

I loved the look of it and the variety of work involved - beading, needle felting, machine stitching with metallics and some simple embroidery. There was a kit available from the UK designer, Chris Gray. The cost of the kit and the postage was very reasonable, and the effort of gathering the necessary array of bits and pieces was off-putting, so I sent for one.

When it arrived, the first task was to cut and stitch the stamped fabric to the felt using a metallic thread. I am not experienced in using metallics but have been wanting to try. This was suitably simple and worked well enough to give me confidence.

The design was very simple - vertical rows separated by a line of running stitches using a variety of Anchor Marlitt (stranded rayon) threads and embellished in different ways. It would be easy to replace the stamped design with embroidery.

The next step was needle-felting five pieces of hand-dyed wool. I dug out the needle felter I had bought for the Kokeshi spectacle case last October - much satisfaction in using it again. I love the sensation of plunging the needles into the fabric and I like to see the soft fluffy bits emerge like a shadow on the other side.

Once in place, and couched,  the wool acts as a guide for the rows of embellishment.

I also like the variety and timeliness of the rows - enough to get a bit of practice and get the hang of it, without being overly repetitious.

The kits were available in three tones, pink-red, purple or green-gold. I had chosen the green-gold after a lot of prevaricating. I had no regrets. I really liked the colours of the beads - the fabulous mix of seed beads in particular.

The little squares are card and in the kit come pre-coated with acrylic paint and 'cosmic shimmer mist'.

The circles are washers, buttonholed using variegated silk thread. The centres are sequins, giving a mirrored effect.

The top and bottom edges are machine stitched using variegated quilting cotton - another first for me and a lot of fun.


The corners are tied off with beads and tassels.

I am considering mounting the finished piece on a bag, but for the moment it is pinned on the noticeboard beside my computer where I am getting  pleasure from it - and a lot of ideas about possibilities for these techniques.